


The Same Deep Water as You

by PRETTYHATEMACHINES



Category: The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Genre: Drabble, IS this a character study?? i dont fuking knowwwww, One Shot, Other, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Short One Shot, dream - Freeform, i cant tell if this is short or long, i guess??, i literally don't know what kind of story this is, it IS my intent lol, mention of it is too brief to add the Trans Male Character tag but, there is too much going on in this one i'm so sorry, this one's bad don't read it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:08:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24532825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PRETTYHATEMACHINES/pseuds/PRETTYHATEMACHINES
Summary: hey bro are you having another vivid night terror full of dumb symbolism of your darkest regrets? are you becoming increasingly more paranoid and on edge and depressed?? do strange and surreal things keep on happening to u???? bro it's alright just drink a pepsi. or two.
Kudos: 1





	The Same Deep Water as You

**Author's Note:**

> have you ever had a dream that that you um you had you'd you would you could you'd do you wi you wants you you could do so you you'd do you could you you want you want him to do you so much you could do anything

August, 2004. 

3 months after the 'Retroville Restaurant Massacre'.

\---

[Excerpt of an unpublished interview found in the notebook of an independent journalist.]

[Name of the interviewee will not be disclosed for the sake of privacy.]

_How have you been getting by?_

Fine, I guess. I never did much before. I still don't do much now. It's fine.

_Do you know if anyone else who was there is okay? Do you keep in touch?_

No. I don't remember anyone who worked with me. They didn't really talk that often. Well, to me, at least.

_You never got to know them?_

Never. I don't know if they wanted to. I didn't care. 

_And why is that?_

What does that have to do with what you're trying to talk to me about?

_Any luck on finding a job after this?_

[Guest turns away, looking unfocused.]

Um. No. I, uh, don't have one, still. 

_How has all of this affected you?_

How has... What? Did you ask me something?

[Guest still seems unfocused and avoids eye contact.]

_Yes. How has all of this affected you?_

...What do you mean?

_Do you still think about what happened?_

I. 

I don't. 

I don't think about it.

_What were your thoughts as it was happening?_

[No answer.]

_Did you think you were going to die?_

[Pause.]

Why are you asking me all of this.

_We only want to interview you. You don't have to answer any questions you feel are too personal._

[Pause.]

Please stop recording me. I don't care if you want to interview me. Just stop. I don't want people to associate me with this.

_Do you want us to contact you at a different time? If this is bothering you too much, we can stop._

I don't.

I don't know why you wanted to see me.

[Guest refuses to respond to any more questions and leaves the room abruptly.] 

\---

The air is still.

Everything is silent.

And a lot of things around you are making you very aware that, right now, you've ended up in a decidedly odd dream.

First thing to note - where you are. A long, long time has passed since, y'know, since it flew into the sun, and yet you're finding yourself wandering about inside an empty McSpanky's.

You can't tell if this one is your location or not, since none of the fancy, complicated tech from its... _remodel_ ... is there. You even have your uniform on.

No nametag, though. Weird...

So you're _obviously_ dreaming. A lucid dream, too, apparently.

Your slow, cautious steps echo through the building as you take in your surroundings some more. You notice the restaurant is in awful shape, looking totally abandoned.

Some windows are shattered, tables and chairs are scattered about, the words on the menu are faded and illegible, and every door has been left open. The fluorescent lights no longer work, but you swear you can still hear them buzzing.

You were never one to care for things being out of place, but seeing every single shard of glass, every chair that's been knocked over, every empty cup lying on the floor, it all makes you wish you could put everything back together and make the place look somewhat presentable. 

Sitting down on the tile floor near the counter, you stare at a promotional poster that has fallen off of the wall. There's nothing special about it, you've seen it dozens of times, but what else is there to do?

Maybe it's just the isolation, or the nostalgia doing this, but you feel a strange sort of sympathy for the fallen poster.

But something different catches your eye.

A plaque that has also fallen off of the wall, lying face-down on the floor.

You pick it up - gently, hesitantly - and silently read the engraved text.

_"Employee of the Month_

_Skeet"_

There is a small space where a photo should be, but nothing is there.

You wonder what that could even mean, what any of this could mean, but your thoughts abruptly stop for a moment as you notice something.

While you wandered through the building before, you noticed the windows were broken, and the doors were open. But, somehow, you only just now see what's actually outside.

You stare out at the outside world from the front door.

The restaurant is surrounded entirely by a body of water.

\---

May 21st, 2004.

11:59 PM.

_A young man sits alone in his apartment. He says nothing as he stares at an analog clock on his bedside table, counting the seconds away._

__

_He isn't sure if he would rather celebrate this with a hypothetical group of friends, or if he prefers this calm silence to the overwhelming feeling of being around so many people._

____

_It isn't that bad, he's sure that his parents will leave him a nice, long voicemail the following morning, as they did the previous year. His boss will probably give him some kind of half-hearted card - not personally written, the same card every other employee gets. Maybe his co-workers might wish him well, too._

_____ _

_12:00 AM._

______ _ _

_May 22nd._

_______ _ _ _

_He smiles, thinking of how this month might be the nicest one he's had._

________ _ _ _ _

_Nineteen suddenly isn't as threatening of a number as it seemed before._

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_Maybe birthdays aren't something to dread after all._

________ _ _ _ _

\---

________ _ _ _ _

You feel like you should be freaking the fuck out by now.

________ _ _ _ _

Who wouldn't be after finding out that you're trapped in the middle of an... ocean? A lake? You can't figure out how vast this sea could be.

________ _ _ _ _

But... dreams are _supposed_ to be weird, right? What does it matter?

________ _ _ _ _

You rise from the floor carefully, trying not to accidentally touch any broken glass, and walk to the door to get a better view.

________ _ _ _ _

Looking around the area, while still standing inside, you note that this place is kind of... Picturesque, really.

________ _ _ _ _

The sky is dark and starry, and the moon is full, reflecting off of the water and making it shimmer. For some inexplicable reason, you feel like there is a shore, far off in the distance. You don't even know why, but something inside you really wants to believe it's there.

________ _ _ _ _

There are other things in the water, too - half-submerged buildings in shambles, cars (Were they floating? Or is this water not deep?), telephone poles with snapped cords... Somehow, McSpanky's is the only thing perfectly afloat. It doesn't even move as if it is floating, it's perfectly still.

________ _ _ _ _

You kneel down to run your hand through the water, and... it doesn't go in.

________ _ _ _ _

You feel it again.

________ _ _ _ _

The texture and consistency is nothing like water, but more so like gelatin. Almost solid, but not quite.

________ _ _ _ _

You get up again and wonder... Would you sink if you tried to walk outside?

________ _ _ _ _

You're aware this is a dream, and nothing could happen (Besides you waking up), so you figure there's no harm in trying.

________ _ _ _ _

It's still _weird,_ though, as you still try to psych yourself up, until you finally set one foot outside.

________ _ _ _ _

Then, the other.

________ _ _ _ _

And now, you're finally outside.

________ _ _ _ _

Okay, now you're actually freaking out. A little.

________ _ _ _ _

The water (Is this even water?) is difficult to walk on, and you almost trip, like, three times.

________ _ _ _ _

You decide to walk around the building to see if there's anywhere to go behind it that you haven't yet seen. 

________ _ _ _ _

Stumbling your way around the giant, burger-shaped structure, you look for any sign of land.

________ _ _ _ _

Nothing.

________ _ _ _ _

Nothing but an endless sea.

________ _ _ _ _

\---

________ _ _ _ _

_This isn't real._

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_None of this is real._

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_You aren't running for your life from a building that's crumbling around you._

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_You aren't paralyzed with fear, watching it lift itself from the ground and start hovering in the air._

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_You aren't sitting on the concrete, frozen in the midst of running and screaming people, staring at the empty lot where your workplace, your home, your prison used to be._

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_You aren't asking yourself why you couldn't learn to let something go, or thinking of how this all happened because of you._

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Of course it isn't real. The real you would never be so vulnerable, so afraid._

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_You're going to wake up, your life will be the same, you'll be fine._

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_You're going to wake up._

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_But you never do._

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\---

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

There has to be something else. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You try to run. You _have_ to find something else.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You wish you could run as far away as possible.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

No matter how far you are, the building is right behind you every time you glance back.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You keep stumbling, tripping, falling. Over, and over, and over.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You're not even sure why you're still doing this.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As you breathe heavily, you try and compose yourself, struggling to stand up.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Staring at the endless sea, you feel hollow. Tired. More than you've ever felt.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You quickly whirl your head around and almost have a heart attack as you are immediately face-to-face with a _giant, mechanical Scotsman's head._

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jesus, that thing always creeped you out. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Why did they feel it was necessary to have that as part of the drive-through?

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The hollow eyes stare through you.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You start feeling uneasy. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You turn to walk away, but you hear something.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Are you still running?_

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You hear _someone._

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Why do you keep running?_

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The voice sounds as if it's inside your head, yet coming from outside at the same time. The slightly static-y quality of it makes you realize that it's coming from the drive-through microphone.

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Can you hear me?_

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It sounds unnerving. It sounds familiar.

It sounds... like _you._

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Why do you always run?_

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Are you afraid?_

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\---

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

July 8th, 2004.

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_I used to really love fast food. I mean, I still do. A lot of people do. But looking at it now makes me feel funny. I don't know why. I can still eat it just fine. Sometimes I don't feel bad about seeing it. Maybe it's only when it's from certain places._

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_A few nights ago, I took a road trip on a whim, to get my mind off of things. I went back to my old hometown in California. I spent the night in a hotel, and I'm coming home today. I don't know why I did it. Maybe to get a change of scenery. On the way, I went to a McSpanky's. I didn't intend to, but there weren't any other places to get anything to eat. Looking at it made me feel a little nauseous. It felt really weird playing the role of the customer instead of the employee. I even almost said "How can I help you?" to the girl at the register. Isn't that funny?_

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_There's something about fast food, fried food, that I can't explain. I feel like it a lot. Like, I don't know, it's all processed or fake or whatever. There are a lot of days where I wonder if I'm fake._

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

July 10th, 2004.

_______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_The night I got home, I dreamt that I was back in Cali again, near the house I grew up in. I was talking to my fifteen-year-old self (which was weird, me and my parents moved to Retroville when I was twelve.) I could tell from the messy little self-given mullet he had, his over-sized Metallica t-shirt, and how he hadn't given himself a name yet. He found it kind of funny that I ended up naming myself after a bug._

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_He asked me what I was doing now. I told him the truth._

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_I'm unemployed. I used to work at a dead-end job. I live alone. I have a suspicion that I'm too slow-minded for anyone to want to hire me. I'm not really friends with anyone. None of my old schoolmates keep in touch with me. I have no hobbies. I don't go out much._

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_He didn't respond to me after that. Just gave me this weird look. Judgmental. Confused. Upset._

___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_I woke up after that. I don't know if I should have gone back._

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

July 14th, 2004.

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Do you ever see someone who looks just like you? Too much for it to be a coincidence?_

_____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_I wanted to finally get some fresh air after a few days, so I took a walk around town. I didn't have any specific place I wanted to go to, just felt like getting out more. I was out until it got dark._

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_When I walked home, no one was around. Not a single soul. Except for one thing that I saw. I don't even know if it was real. It was pretty far away, but the one thing I could tell was that it looked almost exactly like me. It stood completely still, in the middle of the road. It kind of looked like it was glowing. Looking at it made my ears start ringing._

_______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_When I blinked, it was gone._

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Am I still me?_

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\---

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You hate this.

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The thought immediately comes to your mind, for no reason at all, but it's true.

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Why is being here making you feel so uneasy? Don't you miss it?

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

But... Why _do_ you miss it? 

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Why do you miss it?_ the voice asks. You keep ignoring it.

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It wasn't even that good of a job, nothing that happened there before was significant to you at all, and yet you can't help but still think about it sometimes.

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

With something like the incident that happened with it, you suppose thinking about it can't be helped.

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

But you want it to stop. You want people to stop asking you about it, for _you_ to stop asking yourself about it, and to never associate yourself with it again.

_________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_...What is wrong with you?_

__________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You can't tell if the voice is asking you this in a genuine way, or if it's mocking you.

__________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Do you want to be set free?_

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Do you?

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Your breath is shaky, your voice is hoarse. But you finally give it an answer, barely audible.

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Yes.

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Pain shoots through you. Your legs give out. You fall to your knees.

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You stare at your reflection.

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It isn't you.

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It's a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, cartoonishly exaggerated version of yourself. Its pupils are small, little pin-pricks looking through you. It has a wide, Cheshire grin on its face. 

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The longer you look, the more gleeful its expression is.

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Come with me._

____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The world goes dark.

____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Wake up._

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Your mind has become so numb, feeling like you've just been beaten, like you're barely conscious, and you only just now notice the gelatin-like consistency of the water is now gone.

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You're sinking.

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You feel nothing as you fall, and the head you were once staring at now looks as if it's looking down at you, watching you drown.

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

\---

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You wake up. You're in your bedroom, in your apartment, of course, but it takes a few minutes to realize that this is all real.

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You notice that your closet has been left open. 

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

There isn't anything particularly noticeable about that, besides the fact that in the midst of all of your shirts and jackets hanging neatly inside, you can see something sticking out like a sore thumb.

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It's your old work uniform, that you forgot to get rid of after all this time.

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The moment you see it, you immediately get out of bed to shut your closet door.

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sleeping with the closet door closed makes you feel a strange sense of tranquility.

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You sleep peacefully for the rest of the night.

_____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> me giving npc characters backstory and lore when they literally don't need it at all: hey dude you missed a spot


End file.
